Impressive grafting video on mature maple tree

[BartelBe]

Hiryu-en Bonsai ITA just shared a grafting video on a professional level that I have never witnessed before.
The intention here is to re-dress a mature A. p. yamamomiji with a complete new foliage of a Acer palmatum Beni-chidori, starting with two grafted trees as demonstrated.

Paying attention to the way the well rooted grafts were prepared beforehand, the maturity level of the tree and the two different grafts that were placed, (centered graft and approach graft) makes this a seriously impressive eye opener for me.

(Video in Italian, with subtitles in English - click CC or settings to have them displayed on your youtube)

 

[leatherback]

Yup, well known technique. Not often used.

Thread 'EBIHARA BRANCH RELOCATION'

Sep 4, 2020

I've wanted to try this ingenious technique for many years. But I did not have a proper subject until about three years ago when I purchased this multi-trunk Japanese maple that was originally imported from Japan by Doug Paul at the Kennett Collection. The tree suffered greatly in the quarantining process in which one of its large trunks died back. Despite this I fell in love with this large maple and was determined to bring it back to glory by using any and all techniques at my disposal. One of those involved relocating a branch (or two) which was invented and developed by the great Mr...

• MACH5
• Replies: 119
• Forum: Maples

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[eplov90]

@leatherback one of the grafts he does is a peg graft like @MACH5 but he also does a pretty major approach graft with one of these transplanted branches. Not technically too hard but hadn't seen it done in this way.

 

[MACH5]

@leatherback one of the grafts he does is a peg graft like @MACH5 but he also does a pretty major approach graft with one of these transplanted branches. Not technically too hard but hadn't seen it done in this way.

My question here would be the end result. Wondering how it will all heal?

 

[eplov90]

My question here would be the end result. Wondering how it will all heal?

Agreed -- this has to be a really long term project to expect it to heal over in a nice way.

 

[MACH5]

Agreed -- this has to be a really long term project to expect it to heal over in a nice way.

Yes, but unfortunately in cases like this there is no possible way to predict the outcome. Could heal beautifully but it can also result in a rather undesirable graft point.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Ballsy move on already pretty impressive material.

 

[Maros]

Yes, but unfortunately in cases like this there is no possible way to predict the outcome. Could heal beautifully but it can also result in a rather undesirable graft point.

How bad could it possibly be? Do we have any pictures to see the bad result?

 

[MACH5]

How bad could it possibly be? Do we have any pictures to see the bad result?

No way to tell Maros specially with such a large approach graft. I have seen much smaller whips used for approach grafts where the graft point swells and ends up not looking very good. This would also be true for peg grafts. For the record I am not questioning Andrea's abilities at all. Just difficult to tell how a graft may end up healing.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Thread grafts (pencil width or thinner) would have made a less interesting video, but possibly better results in a shorter timeline.

My mentor in Quebec has swapped cultivars on mature specimen many times, and I have a dozen in progress. I personally love the versatility and the malleability of thread grafts for this purpose.

I also like the idea of a thinner thread graft growing into the trunk, in terms of physical stability over time.

Moving or adding a single branch to a tree via peg graft is one thing, because the goal is to rapidly have that branch fit with the proportions of the tree. Swapping the cultivar of an entire tree is something else altogether, in my opinion.